When I found out you can now stay in a heritage listed house on an island in Sydney Harbour, just minutes by ferry from the heart of the city, with water views to die for, I couldn't wait to visit. I was not disappointed. One of only 2 houses available for hire, the house is beautifully styled (clearly by interior designers) with all mod cons including granite kitchen, dishwasher, DVD etc with its own large lawned private garden complete with pre-requisite Aussie BBQ. The house was very spacious, and although there were only 4 of us, there was 8 of everything in the house, so plenty of room for 4 couples.
Cockatoo Island itself is a fascinating relic of Sydney's convict and shipbuilding past. Once you get the hang of the ferry timetables (it is serviced by various Sydney Ferries routes) it became a good place from which to sight-see, being less than 30 minutes by ferry to the city centre - and what a journey! There is an audio tour of the island or we had a crack at playing... more